1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic musical score display device whereby performance musicians can scan personal music manuscripts, including notations, into a graphic file and program the sequence of display of the score in accordance with a desired performance plan, i.e. sequence.
2. Description of Related Art
Performance musicians, for example, vocalists, pianists, violinists, chamber musicians, orchestra members, etc., often use music xe2x80x9cmanuscriptsxe2x80x9d which they have personalized. In particular, performers will mark fingerings, technical directions, dynamic directions, and other personal performance suggestions directly on the hard copy of the music score. These manuscripts are accumulated over long periods of time and become the essential memory of the musician""s experience. Thus, manuscripts embody a musician""s personal skill and experience and often are irreplaceable. Often, manuscripts are original creations and arrangements and thus represent the originality and individuality of the performer.
When a musician performs publicly he/she frequently performs with the music sheets directly in front of him/her. During the performance, the manual turning of pages can be clumsy and distracting to both the performer and the audience alike. For example, pianists need page turners who must turn the sheets at appropriate times, pages fall off or are blown off the music stand, and the rustling of the pages as they are turned creates unwanted background noise.
To solve the above problems, electronic music stands have been developed to store the musical data and display the same without the need for a hard copy of the score. U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,323 discloses an electronic music display whereby an optical scanner can be used to input sheet music into a computer. A display permits two simultaneous pages of music to be viewed. An actuator means is controlled by a foot of the performer and includes dual foot switches to advance displayed pages of musical notes either forward or backward. The performer can also program a time interval at which the displayed musical notes are advanced automatically.
However, with such a music stand the performer must advance or move backward page-by-page progressively in the score, in a manner similar to a hardcopy musical score, to get to a particular part of the score. For example, if the performer wishes to repeat a refrain, he/she must press the actuating means as many times as necessary to move backward or forward to the beginning of the refrain. Although such action may be less disruptive than manually turning a hard copy of a music sheet, the repetitive pressing of a foot pedal can be more confusing and just as distracting as the manual page turning alternative.
Thus, there is a need for an electronic music display whereby the performer can use an actuating means to repeat parts or move forward or backward to any place in the score in a predetermined manner corresponding to the desired performance sequence.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to electronically display a musical score and allow for the musician to repeat certain sections or move forward or backward to a certain part or section of the score in a predetermined manner by an actuating means.
Another object of the present invention is to enable a performer to pre-program a performance sequence in an electronic musical display device.
Still another object of the present invention is to enable a performer to scan a personal manuscript, complete with hand written notations, and store and display the same in a musical display device.
In achieving these and other objects of the present invention there is provided an electronic musical display device comprising an input means for inputting music score data, memory means for storing the inputted music score data, and control means for segregating the music score data. A performance sequence is programmed whereby a performer can program a performance sequence of the music score data in accordance with a desired performance. Display means display the music score data in accordance with the performance sequence.
An actuator can be manipulated by the performer to repeat a portion of the music score data and move forward or backward in the music score image data step-by-step in the predetermined performance sequence. The actuator can be a foot pedal located on the floor near the performer. By pressing the foot pedal the performer can progress through the preprogrammed performance sequence merely by pressing the pedal once for each step. For example, if the performer wanted to repeat the first and second pages after the fourth page of the score, he or she could program the control means to return to that particular portion of the score in response to the third tap of the pedal. In such an example, the first tap of the pedal causes the first and second pages of the score to be displayed. The second tap causes the third and forth pages to be displayed, and the third tap causes the first and second pages to be displayed again.
In achieving these and other objects of the present invention there is also provided a method for advancing through pages of music score data in an electronic music display device including the step of inputting musical score data into a memory device for storing the inputted music score data. The music score data stored in the memory device is then segregated into sections. A performance sequence is determined whereby a performer can step through the sections in accordance with a desired performance. An actuating device is manipulated to progress through the performance sequence.